Against Aztecs, USC Seeks a Fresh Start : College football: Trojans want to avoid a repeat of 1991 opener, when they were shocked by Memphis State.

SAN DIEGO — With Memphis State still hanging around its neck, pulling at USC like an anchor, you can be sure of a couple of things about the 1992 Trojans.

Nobody will have to tell them what number Marshall Faulk wears.

The Trojans will not arrive in town on Friday treating San Diego State as some YMCA team.

It was a year ago today that USC opened its 1991 season with a 24-10 thud against Memphis State--at home, nonetheless--in one of the most embarrassing moments in 100 years of Trojan football.

The Aztecs probably would have it much easier this weekend if none of that had ever happened.

USC Coach Larry Smith talked over the summer about how the Trojans have lost their luster, but, he said Tuesday, he has not mentioned that football non-power from Tennessee once this fall.

“I have not brought it up,” Smith said. “None of us have. We put that to rest a year ago. I’m not going to hit the team between the eyes with it because this is a different football team.

“When that happened everybody looked at it and we learned a lot. I don’t think this football team is sitting around worrying that this is going to be another Memphis State.

“We focused on San Diego State all through our preseason and in the spring. I think it’s a completely different scenario leading up to the game.”

For one thing, USC is coming off a 3-8 season; when the Trojans met Memphis State, they were coming off an 8-4-1 season after which they were ranked 20th in the nation by Associated Press.

“During the (1991) season people lost respect for us because we were not a winning football team, and I think that’s pretty much the way it is,” Smith said. “If you don’t win, people don’t respect you. Your fans, the other fans, that’s the way the world of sports is. Everybody wants a winner.

“We’ve got to win our respect back.”

They will start by attempting to corral No. 28--Faulk. The Trojans have studied him so much they can probably tell you the guy’s favorite color.

“Marshall Faulk is an outstanding running back,” Smith said. “He deserves every bit of acclaim he is getting. He’s a fantastic football player.

“The Miami coaching staff said he was the best back they played all year (in 1991). He’s got great speed, he’s durable, he can catch the football. He’s their bread-and-butter guy.

“When you play San Diego State, he’s a guy you’ve got to stop.”

Smith said he sees at least three keys to success on Saturday: having fewer turnovers than SDSU, having a solid kicking game and making more big plays than the Aztecs.

At times, Smith’s answers sounded more like hopes than certainties. Opening a football season is rarely easy, whether the opponent is Notre Dame or, cough, Memphis State.

“I think the team is ready to play,” Smith said. “You always like to have more time--maybe an exhibition game, like the pros do.

“You go into the first game not quite sure what is going to happen, or what the team is capable of. The only things you have to judge are scrimmage against yourself, and those can be misleading.”

Making matters even more unpredictable, the Trojans and Aztecs have never met.

However, Larry Smith and the Aztecs have.

It was in 1975. Smith was the defensive coordinator at the University of Arizona when the Wildcats came to San Diego and nipped the Aztecs, 31-24.

“It was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever coached in,” Smith said. “That stadium is a fun stadium to play in. It’s going to be filled. The big thing I like is that a lot of our Trojan fans are going to be there.”

And Memphis State will not be.

The big question:

Is Traveler--USC’s white horse--going to make the trip?

“I’m not in charge of the horse,” Smith said. “I’ve got 90-some horses I’ve got to get ready.”

It is believed that Traveler will be in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Aztec Notes

H-back Will Tate, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last week, probably will not be ready for Saturday’s game, Coach Al Luginbill said. . . . That leaves redshirt freshmen Ray Peterson and DeAndre Maxwell to handle the bulk of the H-back duties. . . . Defensive back Robert Griffith, who sprained an ankle last week, resumed practicing on Tuesday and expects to be at full speed Saturday. . . . Luginbill has not been happy with practices this week. On Monday, he didn’t think the players were focused and on Tuesday, he said it took them about 40 minutes to get going.